Monday, October 28, 2013

Northmavine Blocking

Where were we? ah yes.

The Northmavine hoody has had a bath and is now blocking:

I did draw a face to put on here but it looked a bit too spooky...

I did one pocket, looked at the pocket, wasn’t sure about
pocket. I tried it on (in its admittedly unblocked state) and disliked the
pocket intensely. So I undid the pocket and sewed up both pocket holes. On the
upside, I don’t have to do another pocket!:

I have nothing against pockets usually, but on this they made my hips look gigantic, which is not allowed.

So, since I didn't do the pockets I decided I would do the hood, why not. I find these increases very pleasing:

Hoodincs

I got so carried away with the hood I decided to start grafting it at about 10.15 one night, after wine. A BIG MISTAKE. It all went so much better at 1pm the next day, though I did muck up the last three stitches, otherwise I'm really pleased with the stripe continuity over the hood.

Three rogue reverse stocking stitches, I am going to have to live with it

I started the long long slog of interfacings and applied I cord straight away, to avoid the danger of putting it away for a 'rest'. The interfacings were a bit fiddly mainly because my interchangeable needles kept unscrewing themselves.

Then I started the Icord, which I measured in episodes of Battlestar Galactica. I have arrived at the equation that 1 episode of BG = 15cm of Icord , unless the episode is particuilarly thrilling (like the one when the Pegasus turns up with the alarming hard line Admiral on board) in which case it's more like 7.5cm of Icord (or, a 50% drop off in productivity due to gawping at the TV) - the interfaces and Icord alone on this garment is equal to about half of Season 2.

Some interfacing and Icord. It is worth it.

Now all I need is a zip (ordered from the interwebz) to sew in, sew it in, and I am good to go.
Quite a lot of this knitting has been done through the great upheaval of 'having the roof done'. It turns out the roof was full of shredded wheat, air and bees nest (is it a nest when not in a hive?) so it's not surprising we've been so very cold every winter:

You never know what's living feet away from you.

They finished it just in time for "The Great Storm That Wasn't That Great Really of 2013" but we do at least have a giant birch tree down in next door's back garden to show for it.